(CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas) – Abraham Salomon Rodriguez, aka Paco, has been sentenced to serve 240 months in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 50 kilograms of cocaine, United States Attorney Tim Johnson announced today.

Rodriguez, 32, of Corpus Christi, was charged in a one-count indictment on Jan. 28, 2009, and pleaded guilty to the charge on March 12, 2009. Rodriguez was part of a larger conspiracy involving 14 other individuals in which Rodriguez worked in concert with a local drug trafficking organization by purchasing, delivering and selling cocaine in the Corpus Christi area in multi-kilogram amounts from January 2006 to January 2009. Rodriguez was charged in a separate indictment from the Noe Espinosa drug trafficking organization, but was involved in the same conspiracy. All other charged conspirators have been convicted and sentenced for their roles.

Also during the sentencing hearing today, Chief United States District Judge Hayden Head ordered the criminal forfeiture of the real property located at 4206 Vestal in Corpus Christi to the United States which was used by Rodriguez to facilitate and promote his drug trafficking activity.

At today’s sentencing, the court found that Rodriguez was a career offender under the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, that is, Rodriguez has two prior state felony convictions for assault on a public servant and delivery of cocaine, which resulted in a much higher sentencing range for the court to consider.

Rodriguez has been in custody since his arrest on Jan. 29, 2009, and will remain in custody to begin serving his sentence.

The charges in this case are the result of a multi-agency Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force investigation involving the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation Division, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives, United States Marshals Service and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Julie Hampton.